Ex-commander of Sochi Traffic Police Regiment put on wanted list

The 7th Investigative Directorate of the Russian Investigative Committee (located in Rostov-on-Don) has revealed that the Commander of Traffic Police Regiment of the State Inspection for Road Traffic Safety of Sochi Andrei Gerashchenko is involved in bribery.

According to investigators, in February 2016, Alexander Danilyuk, being a mediator, received 500,000 rubles from the director of a commercial organization that provides tow truck services in Sochi and passed the money to Gerashchenko as a bribe. Gerashchenko responsibilities also include control and management of employees, engaged into towing away of vehicles that directly connected the Traffic Police Officers, who is authorized to detain vehicles in accordance with the Code of Administrative Infractions and tow away vehicles to impoundment lots.

The investigators also revealed that in March 2016 Danilyuk, being a mediator, has received a bribe of 500,000 rubles from the same director. The money were purposed to provide activity of that tow truck services company, which connected the Traffic Police Officers, who is authorized to detain vehicles and tow them away to impoundment lots.

Danilyuk got detained by law-enforcement agencies in act of taking bribe. He is accused of mediation in a bribe under Item B, Part 3 of Article 191.1 of the RF Penal Code.

The investigation has enough evidence to prove that Gerashchenko is involved into these crimes, he is accused of bribe taking by an official and attempted bribe taking in large amount under Item C, Part 5 of Article 290, Item C, Part 5 of Article 290, Part 3 of Article 30 of the RF Penal Code.

This criminal investigation has been joined with the other criminal investigation, involving same persons of interest. According to investigators, in 2014 to 2015, director of that tow truck company monthly paid 6,9 million rubles to Gerashchenko through his mediator Danilyuk. In turn, Gerashchenko used his position to act in favor of the bribe giver. He arranged Traffic Police detachments, so that they could detain vehicles and pass them to the tow truck company for further transportation to the impoundment lot.

Gerashchenko is hiding from law-enforcement agencies, he has been put on the nationwide wanted list. In order to complete investigation against other persons involved in the crimes, the criminal investigation against Gerashchenko was separated into single case. The criminal investigation is ongoing.